A massive Interstate highway project costing more than $700 million and taking more than a decade to complete is scheduled to get under way in 2008 in Omaha and Council Bluffs.

A second Interstate 80 bridge will be built over the Missouri River to connect the two cities, and Interstates 80 and 29 will be widened and rebuilt.

The work will be the most expensive urban Interstate reconstruction project in Iowa history.

Details- Second Missouri River bridge will be built and will carry westbound traffic (with the originalbridge being dedicated to eastbound traffic).- Three interstate junctions in Council Bluffs, incl. I-80 and I-29 just east of the river whichtoday carries an average of 82,000 vehicles per day- East and westbound lanes between the 80/29 junctions will have -6- lanes in either direction- 2-mile stretch of I-80 on the Nebraska side will be widened with ramps at the 13th Street interchange beingrebuilt.- A quick fix project will start in spring to add a third eastbound lane from 24th to theeastern junction of I-80/29 to be completed in the following fall.

Mike Golwitzer does battle on eastbound I-80 in Council Bluffs every day. The Council Bluffs resident takes I-80 home every night from his Omaha business. The drive takes at least 20 minutes and can easily stretch to 40 minutes.

They are adding a 3rd lane each direction as a temporary fix to capacity problems until they get the full-blown project in gear a few years down the road. Just between the two I-80/29 interchanges. They've been doing the prep work for a couple months now.

It's my understanding that IDOT is doing this now just to reduce the likelihood of traffic fatalities associated with under-capacity (partly because they've drug this process out so long already). Might seem kind of silly when they're just going to tear it all out in 3 years, but....they have their reasons I guess.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Bout time they did this. If you think an hr is bad stuck in traffic just try being on this strech when a accident happens. You'll be there 2 maybe 3 hrs. I remember having to cut over and get off on 13th St. cause things were backed up.

Residents will have a chance to comment next month on widening and other work planned for Interstate 80 between 24th Street and the Missouri River in Omaha.

The Nebraska Roads Department, along with the State Highway Commission, will have a public hearing on the project Dec. 6. The hearing will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Bancroft Elementary School cafeteria, 2724 Riverview Blvd.

The work is part of a larger project that includes widening I-80 in Council Bluffs and rebuilding three Interstate junctions.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

With the state roads funds facing a (projected) serious shortfall in the next decade, a few people having been getting rather nervous about the state moving forward on this project, but (if you can trust Barry Cleaveland), we're still on track...

There's good news for area travelers who are wondering when the state will start reconstruction work on the interstate highway system around Council Bluffs.

"Council Bluffs is next in line," said Barry Cleaveland, vice chairman of the Iowa Transportation Commission and Council Bluffs resident. "That's the direction we're headed."

The interstate is to be reconstructed in stages, with the first being the portion around the Nebraska Avenue interchange with Interstate 29 to the area just east of the South 24th Street interchange with I-29/80. That's set to get started in 2009, Cleaveland said.

The total reconstruction cost of the interstate around the city is estimated to be $1.2 billion, and the work will take years to complete, he said.

"It took seven or eight years to complete the Interstate 235 project in Des Moines, and that's half the project of Council Bluffs," Cleaveland said. "Hopefully, just 10 years here, but I don't know. It's going to be long term."

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

A public meeting about future construction work along Interstate 29/80 in Council Bluffs will be held Aug. 28 at the Mid-America Center, Rooms K-L, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Iowa Department of Transportation officials will discuss the proposed reconstruction of the 24th Street Bridge over the interstate, reconstruction of 24th Street from 27th Avenue to the interstate, and the aesthetics master plan for the Council Bluffs interstate system.

No formal presentation will be made at the meeting. Details of the projects, however, will be discussed informally.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Remember that is what the bridge will hopefully look soon, but it only crosses 6 lanes in that picture. In like 6 years it will have to be rebuilt again to accommodate 12 lanes plus all of those shoulders because of the dual divided highways! SCORE!!!!

I must have overlooked that bottom rendering some how... I do like that. Â CB could do us all a big favor if they'd sweep up every last piece of business on 24th north of the interstate... this area could really start turn into something special. Â Maybe something is in the works?

Stargazer wrote:CB could do us all a big favor if they'd sweep up every last piece of business on 24th north of the interstate... this area could really start turn into something special. Maybe something is in the works?

The City will be widening 24th north of the interstate, as well as redoing the transition to 23rd Ave at the north end of 24th St, such that traffic will not have to make a 90-degree turn onto 23rd Ave; rather it will be a gradual curve, with 23rd Ave from the east "T-ing" into 24th Street. Â The City was hopeful they could do this project concurrent with the State's 24th St. bridge project this next year, but it is likely the City project will lag the State project by 9-12 months. Â The present design would impact all businesses on the west side of 24th Street, with project right of way extending into all buildings - whether that will lead to all those businesses leaving or just setting back further from the street is not 100% known at this time (some will move though, I'm pretty sure of that).

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

. . . the bridge will not only be better to drive on, but also better to look at.

On the sides of the bridges, railings will be installed in the design of the rolling hills of the nearby Loess Hills. The bridge's abutments and terrace walls will include a limestone appearance with natural creams and browns. The proposed landscape design at 24th Street will blend native and ornamental grasses with trees and perennials. There will also be rope lights on the deck.

A new South 24th Street bridge that will include artwork honoring the nearby Loess Hills is scheduled for completion next fall. It will also provide left-turn lanes onto the interstate that the current structure doesn’t have.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

The council also approved an agreement between the city and the Iowa Department of Transportation on obligations that each party will abide by on the construction of the new Interstate 80 bridge over the Missouri River. The IDOT will fund and build that bridge beginning next spring. The city will allow IDOT and its contractors access to the project site from city property.

The recreational trail under the bridge will remain open for use during the project, though temporary closures may occur at times.

In related news, it appears that IDOT is preparing for the construction zone at the S. 24th St. overpass, should see the lane shift for westbound in place by Thanksgiving and work on the bridge commencing shortly after that. Â (I hope, anyway)

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

They have started putting up the stone retaining wall on the west side of the overpass as you head east. Â Looks like it will be nice, although that is something i thought they would do after the bridge was widened and they were finishing it up...not before. Â Oh well, progress is progress.

There won't be much to see at first, just some clearing of trees and other preliminary work, but it's all part of the construction of a new Interstate 80 bridge over the Missouri River, one of the key initial phases of the massive interstate reconstruction project in the city. . .

Iowa is in charge of building the Interstate 80 bridge connecting Council Bluffs and Omaha, Owen said, while Nebraska is the lead agency for the new U.S. Highway 275 bridge being built to the south.

The new I-80 bridge will be built just north of the current bridge. When it's completed in 2010, all eastbound and westbound traffic will be shifted over to that bridge so that the current bridge can be reconstructed, Owen said.

When reconstruction of the current bridge is complete, it will carry eastbound traffic, while the new bridge will carry westbound vehicles. Each bridge will carry a minimum of four, possibly five, lanes of traffic. The construction of the new bridge will land some 50 to 100 feet on the Nebraska side, where that state will take over, Owen said. On the Iowa side, it will end just west of the I-29/80 western interchange. . .

Jensen Construction Co. of Des Moines has been awarded the contract for the bridge project. The estimated cost is $56.1 million.

The South 24th Street bridge reconstruction project is expected to be finished in the fall. It will feature two through lanes in each direction and accommodations for left-turn lanes at the interstate on-ramps. Pedestrian access will be available on both sides of the bridge. . .

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Transportation improvements, especially for the reconstruction of the interstate system around Council Bluffs, were key priorities for federal aid during this week's annual DC Ambassadors trip to Washington, according to the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce. . . .

City Engineer/Public Works Director Greg Reeder, a member of the group, requested $5 million in federal funds for an $8 million project to widen South 24th Street from Interstate 29/80 to 23rd Avenue. This project would widen the four existing lanes, plus add a left-turn lane, he said. . . .

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Daily Nonpareil wrote:Westbound traffic on Interstate 29/80 by the South 24th Street bridge will need to be closed Saturday evening for repair work on the bridge, the Iowa Department of Transportation has announced. The interstate will be closed for eastbound traffic the following evening, the department said.

The Saturday closure for westbound traffic will begin at 11:30 a.m. and continue through Sunday at 9 a.m. The Sunday closure for eastbound traffic will begin at 10 p.m. and continue through Monday at 6 a.m.

Motorists will exit the interstate at the 24th Street off-ramp, cross that street and continue on the 24th Street on-ramp to re-enter the interstate, the department said.

The department also said that beginning Thursday westbound interstate traffic would be shifted towards the median. Two traffic lanes will be maintained. On Friday, 24th Street over the interstate will be reduced to one lane in each direction with a middle turn lane.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Work on the 24th Street bridge is coming along, the center support pier for the southbound lanes is in place with decorative concrete work, and just yesterday the main girders have been put in place from abutment to abutment - pretty impressively sized I might add! Â Hopefully this continues to get fast-tracked, because traffic is a real beach right now.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

In just a few years - 2011 to be exact - the 150th anniversary, or sesquicentennial as it's called, will be observed marking the beginning of the Civil War.

Plans have already started in Iowa to mark the somber event. In fact, the Council Bluffs City Council Monday evening will receive a request on a project by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Department of Iowa.

This organization, or SUVCW, is seeking local government approval to rename 12 river bridges along the original route of U.S. Highway 6, which is the National Grand Army of the Republic Highway. The request is to name these bridges for the finest of Iowa's Civil War generals. . . .

The state's westernmost bridge on the highway is that on Interstate 80 over the Missouri River. The honoree chosen for this bridge is Major General Grenville M. Dodge, who lived in Council Bluffs. . . .

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

thenewguy wrote:i agree. I think it would be cooler if they renamed the 24Th street bridge that instead. That whole thing is going to be nice looking...and fitting of a name other than "24Th street bridge".